Starting today, IndieGoGo will offer its members access to the SFFS fiscal sponsorship program, making the SFSS the first fiscal sponsor to be a part of the IndieGoGo network. On the deal, Graham Leggat, SFFS executive director said in a statement, “We’re excited to partner with our forward-thinking friends at IndieGoGo. The dovetailing of complementary services offers independent filmmakers the best of both traditional and cutting-edge methods to realize their cinematic visions.”

New York Film Critics Circle Celebrates 75 Years

In addition to announcing that the critics’ vote for best films will be due December 14 and their ceremony would be January 11 at Strata in the Flatiron District, NYFCCC announced a series of events in celebration of their 75 years. This week, MoMA is screening some of the circle’s favorite films, with a reception on September 24. Members of the circle will be at the Hamptons International Film Festival next month to discuss the future of the criticism. From October 23 – November 9, the Brooklyn Academy of Music will screen films that the critics snubbed from the only year that the circle did not vote on their favorite films, 1962.

Thessaloniki Festival Script Fund Announces Recipients

Celebrating its seventh year, the Balkan Fund, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival Script Development Fund, is due to take place during the 50th edition of the TIFF from the 14th to the 16th of November 2009. Each winning script receives 10,000 Euros. The following scripts are the recipients of the award: “Border Line” (Greece) by Emmanuel Economou, “The Girl from Slaveikov Square” (Bulgaria) by Georgi Danailov, “Halima’s Path” (Croatia) by Fedja Isovic, “Home, Sweet Home” (Cyprus) by Panos Stathoyiannis, “Made in Romania” (Romania) by Ionut Teianu, “Monument to Michael Jackson” (Serbia) by Darko Lungulov, “Motel Nana” (Serbia) by Ranko Bozic, “Mother of Asphalt” (Croatia) by Dalibor Matanic & Tomislac Zajec, “Orange Gardens” (Turkey) by Ozkan Kucuk, “Romanian Spring” (Germany/Romania) by Anca M. Lazarescu, and “Russian Women” (Albania/France) by Ismail Kadare.

Michael Winterbottom Double Feature in Manhattan’s 92Y

The 92Y Tribeca and Cinetic FilmBuff are hosting a Michael Winterbottom double-feature event on Wednesday, September 30 in Manhattan at the 92Y Tribeca screening room. They will screen Michael Winterbottom’s cult classics “24 Hour Party People” (with Steve Cooga) and “Code 46” (starring Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton) in celebration of the iTunes release of both films. For more information, click here.

3-D Otter to Come to a Screen Near You

Following the short film “Ollie and the Baked Halibut” at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and the Cannes Film Market, CritterPix, a Northern California animation company, has announced a distribution deal with their feature film “Ollie the Otter.” CritterPix will release the film with Promenade Pictures and American Cinema International. “As soon as I saw this project and more importantly, the reaction of the many international distributors, we knew this would win world wide,” said American Cinema International’s President, Chevonne O’Saughnessy, in a prepared statement.

Spike Jonze Says Maurice Sendak Gave Free Reign

In an interview with the LA Times’ Hero Complex blog, Spike Jonze talks about his process in making “Where the Wild Things Are,” specifically his interactions with the children book’s author Maurice Sendak. Jonze told Chriss Lee, “His attitude is so counter to that, to protecting anything. His assignment to us was, ‘Take this, make it your own. Make it something personal. This book was something I made when I was your guys’ age.’ It was almost like he handed it to us.” Warner Bros’ “Where the Wild Things Are” has a wide release October 16. The film is directed and co-written by Jonze. The author David Eggers wrote a novelization of the Sendak book and co-wrote the script with Jonze. Read more of the Jonze interview here.

Starz Acquires Set of Holocaust Films for IndiePlex Outlet

Variety reports that the pay cable network Starz has acquired five films set to be screened on their IndiePlex outlet. The films, produced under the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Moriah Films banner, will be screened on IndiePlex beginning October 1 and then again next April as a part of Holocaust Remembrance Month. The five films are “Genocide,” “The Long Way Home,” “I Have Never Forgotten: The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal,” “Unlikely Heroes,” and “Liberation.” See the complete story here.